Section 45-51A-33.51 - Statement of candidacy(a) Any person desiring to become a candidate at any election for the offices of councilperson may become a candidate by filing in the office of the judge of probate of the county in which the city is situated, a statement in writing of his or her candidacy, accompanied by an affidavit taken and certified by the judge of probate or by a notary public that the person is duly qualified to hold the office for which he or she desires to be a candidate. The statement shall be filed no earlier than the fourth Tuesday in August and no later than the second Tuesday in September preceding the election, and shall be in substantially the following form: "State of Alabama, _____________ County. I, the undersigned, being first duly sworn, depose and say that I am a citizen of the City of ____________, in the State and County and reside at ______________ in the City of __________, that I desire to become a candidate for the office of district councilman for the ______ district, in the city at the election for the office to be held on the ______ day of October next and that I am duly qualified to hold the office if elected thereto and I hereby request that my name be printed upon the official ballot at the election. Signed _________. Subscribed and sworn to before me by the _______ on this ______ day of _____, 2___, and filed in this office for record on that day. _________, Judge of Probate."
(b) The statement shall be accompanied by a qualifying fee in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) (which fee shall be paid over by the judge of probate to the general fund of the city), or a petition of at least 200 signatures of registered voters in the council district. At every election all ballots to be used by voters shall be printed and prepared by the election commission or other body or official charged by law with the duty of conducting elections and at the expense of the city, and shall contain the names of all candidates directly underneath the words "For Members of the Council." No name shall appear upon the ballot as a candidate for election except the names of such persons as have become candidates according to provisions as above set forth. No ballot shall be used at any election except the official ballot prepared by the election commission or other body or official charged by law with the duty of conducting elections, except that the names of candidates may be suitably placed on voting machines if such machines are used to conduct the election. No primary election shall be held for the nomination of candidates for the office of councilman and candidates shall be nominated only as hereinabove provided.Ala. Code § 45-51A-33.51 (1975)
Acts 1973, No. 618, p. 879, § 3.02; Act 81-835, p. 1484, § 1; Act 87-97, p. 103, § 1; Act 2001-547, p. 1101, § 1.